


On the troubles of oblivious birds

by GufettoGrigio



Category: Formula E RPF, Motorsport RPF
Genre: First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22700779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GufettoGrigio/pseuds/GufettoGrigio
Summary: Robin has a problem. The Antonio jokes are not helping.
Relationships: António Félix da Costa & Robin Frijns, Robin Frijns & Nico Müller, Sam Bird/Robin Frijns
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	On the troubles of oblivious birds

Robin Frijns has a problem. It has gotten to the point where he is losing sleep over it and that’s how you know a Robin problem is _bad._

Even worse _,_ he has also been considering stopping all communication with Antonio but that would just be a tad extreme and quite upsetting, especially because it’s not like it’s Antonio’s fault. It's just that he's the tip of the iceberg.

Robin himself doesn’t mind the Antonio jokes, he really doesn’t. He knows he and Antonio are close and there’s nothing, wrong with poking a bit of fun at that. 

No, what's driving Robin insane is not the Antonio jokes. It’s just that, as much as he does care for Antonio, it's not him he's got a crush on. 

It's Sam.

_____

Robin is not sure when it started. He has known Sam for years and he has always liked the guy. Sam is friendly, funny and he is quick. A bit uptight maybe, but that's a good balance to Robin's at times too laid back nature. 

If Robin had to pick a specific time frame, it would probably somewhere along those first few months back in Formula E, where Sam had done his best to welcome him into the team, showing him around and sharing basically everything he knew. It sounds cliche but, between being excited for the new car and being grateful for Sam's support, Robin had caught himself looking at his new teammate differently. 

It had started as small things - like noticing how blue Sam’s eyes were or finding cute watching him struggle with high shelves. By mid-season, however, it had veered fully into ‘those overalls look terrible on you, please, let me get them off for you. With my teeth’. That was when Robin had known he was fucked.

_____

Being in love with your teammate is a struggle in itself. Robin does not want to fuck it up for the team any more than he wants to fuck it up for himself. Nor for Sam who - as much as he plays it down - wouldn’t say no to having a bit of stability in terms of who drives by his side. Robin has carefully considered how to approach it, worried about how to keep it hidden for as long as possible... only to find out that there’s no need for that. 

Because this is where the Antonio jokes some in: the whole of the paddock, from the mechanics to the visiting reporters, seems to be under the impression that he is either pining after Antonio or that he already is in a relationship with Antonio. The whole paddock, including Sam. This could all, in some roundabout way, be a relief if not for the fact that, without knowing, the whole paddock also seems to be constantly getting Robin into situations testing the limits of his sanity.

_____

The media team in particular has it out for him, Robin is sure. Yes, let’s have our drivers drive around Paris - the city of love - bickering like a married couple. With Jack there and the cameras on it’s not even that bad. It’s when the cameras are off and Sam stretches out on the passenger seat on their way back to the hotel, stealing Robin’s phone for music because his has run out of battery and promptly nodding off, fully trusting Robin even if the Dutch has been driving like he does not know how to use the breaks. 

Or, even better, let’s go to a water park. On the same ride. Sharing an inflatable thingy. And let’s get rid of the wet team t-shirt as soon as the cameras are off. Robin is very glad the water is cold. 

The only ally in the game of endurance pining Robin’s life has turned to is the beard. The damn thing looks _not good_. Well, no it doesn't but it kinda does? Sam still looks good but Robin can't really imagine it would be all that comfortable to kiss him and just get a mouthful of hair. Then again who knows, he'd still definitely like to try. It is also around this time that Robin decides to just give up and tries to actively get Sam to notice instead.

_____

It all proves to be hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. Smiles, hugs, touches, invitations to dinner, various states of unnecessary undress. Nothing. Sam is the definition of oblivious. He jokes around with Robin, spends time with him, gets upset if Robin ignores him, cuddles up to the Dutch at random moments and yet, all he seems to notice is _Antonio_.

“Robin sees me and it’s all like _ugh_. He sees Antonio and he’s got this smile on his face” - Sam insist and he sounds upset about it too - “I want one of those smiles too, one day.”

Robin is not sure if he wants to scream or cry or just bang his head in the steering wheel. Is he that hard to read? 

_____

Nico's arrival makes everything worse. Don't get Robin wrong: he is thrilled to have his DTM teammate in Formula E. It's just that now the entire paddock expects some sort of war over Robin's affections. Robtonio vs Nobin or something like that. People even look actually mildly concerned about it, which Robin will never understand.

Antonio and Nico themselves find the entire situation hilarious. They both know him too well and caught onto the situation pretty fast. It's not like they are any help though.

"Get him drunk"

"Offer to shave his beard"

"Share your chocolate"

"Go on a sleep strike until he kisses you."

Robin just flips them off.

_____

Jack is slightly more helpful. Not in terms of suggestions because no way in hell is Robin going to play Truth or Dare or something equally ridiculous and humiliating under the disguise of a drivers' challenge. Nor is he going to answer any compromising, made up questions on Behind the Visor, thank you very much. 

It's more that when Robin finally explodes and admits to his feelings, Jack listens and doesn't look at him like he has grown another head or something. 

"Can't say I didn't see it coming" - he says instead, scratching his head with a thoughtful look - "I mean, I wasn't sure but…"

Robin just wants to cry in relief. It's not like he needs his feelings to be validated or anything - he knows what he's feeling and it's no one else's business but his. It just makes him feel less invisible and he could hug Jack for that because it's not nice to be overlooked by the person you love.

"You should just tell him." - Jack tells him- "I might be wrong but I think you have a good chance? I mean, he always compliments you and he always lets you drive even if you drivers hate being passengers." 

"He also does not think I am ever happy to see him. And he thinks I am lazy"

"The second of which is true."

"That's beside the point." Robin sighs. "Jack, what if I fuck it up?"

"I still think you should tell him."

_____

That is the heart of the issue. Robin is usually a pretty straightforward guy. Not rude or insensitive but direct enough. Yet, he feels like he is tying himself in knots here and getting nowhere. The words just don't come and short of shouting it off a rooftop, Robin does not know what will do the trick. He has recently started to consider that maybe Sam does know and has chosen to ignore it on purpose. It makes something ugly simmer inside Robin, an insecurity that runs deeper than just being unconsciously overlooked because of rumours. Is it because he is a man? Is it because they are teammates? Is he that ugly, that Sam won’t even consider the possibility? 

And then, of course, Sam has to come out with the naked attraction comment. Robin can feel his head spin as the realization of what Sam just implied hits him. It catches up to Jack soon too.

"Wait, so what you are saying is that you want to see Robin naked?" Jack teases and Sam goes red. Red enough that they have to cut half of his floundering out of the version they post online. It gives Robin a renewed spark of hope. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea: stripping naked and throwing himself at Sam. Maybe it would work, because honestly, Robin is running out of options.

_____

Thankfully, it does not get to that. Formula E can be an emotional rollercoaster and even 12 years of racing and a rejection from Formula 1 won’t prepare you for the heartbreak. The race weekend is a mess: a high one day, a pit of tears the second. Robin returns to the garage shaking in rage and frustration - at himself, at the race, at the world. He tries not to let it show but he knows he is failing when his jaw starts to actually protest the strain of his gritted teeth. Sam, who went from a win to a DNF and is probably feeling as shit or shitter than Robin, keeps stealing glances at him and Robin is not sure if he wants to scream or just fall into him and stay there. 

They slink out of the garage as the podium ceremony is beginning, both eager to catch a moment of respite. Sam stretches his back with a grimace, the weight of the defeat still heavy on him. Robin feels it too, deep down in his spine. He goes gladly when Sam reaches out to put an arm around his shoulders and pulls him closer. Fuck, what a day. 

“Come on" - Sam tries to smile in his shoulder - "I am sure you can convince Antonio to take you out for dinner.”

He means it in a nice way, he means to cheer Robin up but Robin is so tightly wound he just explodes instead. He can’t take it anymore. 

“I don’t give a fuck about Antonio!” - he shouts then promptly shuts his mouth because oh, no, that’s not what he meant. He also did not mean for Sam to literally jump back from him, holding out his hands in a pacifying gesture.

"I didn't mean to…"

Now Robin feels like he might actually cry. Sam just stands there, hands still up in the air but now almost like he wants to pull Robin back into them and fix whatever garbled mess his teammate has become. Robin finds he can't take it - of all the days, of all the ways, this is not how he wants to have to explain. So he does the only thing he can think of: he turns around and runs. So much for not fucking things up.

_____

The morning after, there is a box of chocolates in front of his hotel door. Robin finds himself smiling even though Antonio eats half of them in retaliation for Robin being mean. 

Aside from that, neither of them mentions Robin's outburst again and they just fall back into their previous routine. Robin could almost believe that Sam has just decided to chalk it all up to post DNF frustration and has forgotten about it all if not for the glances. Robin is not entirely sure what it means but Sam suddenly starts looking at him, an unreadable expression on his face, almost like he is searching for something. Given that he now feels even less confident than he did before, Robin hopes that what Sam is looking for is what Robin himself has been desperately trying to show him. Wouldn't that be nice for once?

_____

Of course, things still have to go a further bit south before they get better. Stupid race, stupid rain, stupid Lucas. Robin stalks back to the garage. He is wet and achy and miserable. It's one of those dangerous moods where Robin feels either like saying something he'll later regret or hide away somewhere and ignore the world for a week. To make it worse, Sam got a podium. It makes Robin sound like an asshole, he knows. It's not that he's not happy for Sam and he'd be well and truly lying if he said the warm swell of pride in his chest does not make everything a tiny bit better. It's just that the team is so noisy, the garage is a chaos and he just _can't_. 

Sam, of course, finds him anyway, where he is hiding at the back of the Envision Virgin hospitality .

He is all smiley and beaming and Robin feels even worse for being a spoilsport. He tries to plaster a smile on his face and prepares himself.

Sam's hug is kind. Not the frantic, adrenalin fuelled jump hug they usually share after a good result. He just pulls Robin in, soaked overalls and all, and holds him. It's warm and safe and Sam is pushing himself up not really on his tiptoes but almost so that he can hook his chin over Robin's shoulder. Robin feels himself melt and dares to snuggle further in, ignoring anyone else who might see them.

"Better?" Sam asks, scratching the back of Robin's head in a comforting gesture.

"Much."

"Not going to tell me to fuck off again?"

Robin shakes his head. "I didn't mean that. What I meant is... _you_ invite me to dinner. I mean I invite...oh, fuck it. Dinner?"

Sam stares at him, blue eyes wide. 

“Dinner? With me?”

Robin nods. “Please.”

"Dinner?" Sam repeats "As in _dinner_?"

He seems...not surprised but like he can't quite believe it. It downs on Robin that maybe the problem all along wasn't that Sam was overlooking Robin but that he felt that Robin was overlooking him. For Antonio. Or Nico. Or whoever. Now he is looking at Robin with a slightly hopeful look, like he has finally seen but he is not fully sure it isn’t a dream, or a joke. So, Robin decides that it is high time to put both of their fears to rest and finally, finally, presses their lips together. It starts soft, trying to negotiate those few centimeters of difference between the two of them as Sam pushes up and Robin tilts his head and all of a sudden it turns hungry, mouths opening and tongues sliding deliciously against each other. They break apart for air, both looking slightly dazed. Sam is still holding on to him, arms around Robin’s neck. He looks down slightly and Robin can see his mouth open to talk.

"If the next words out of your mouth are 'But what about Antonio?' God so help me!"

Robin warns him, pulling him closer firmly by the waist.

"Oh, I was going to ask about Nico actually" Sam answers but his smile is cheeky, blue eyes looking playfully up at Robin. Robin would laugh as well (probably, definitely in relief) but he finds himself suddenly pushed against the wall of the hospitality and his mouth is soon otherwise occupied.

The beard actually feels quite nice.

**Author's Note:**

> I have been watching the Behind the Visor videos on a loop while procrastinating from essays - I felt that a fic like this was overdue. Not sure how much justice I have give to the idea but I try.  
> The first race bit (aside from Robin's outburst of course) it's literally lifted from their Behind the Scenes video on Sanya. I wanted to wrap Robin in a blanket and just give him all the chocolate. Sam too.  
> Anyway! Have a lovely Valentine's day and please leave a comment if you liked the story.  
> I am GufettoGrigio on tumblr too.


End file.
